My bones
My skeleton grows up with me. When I am grown, I will have about 206
bones.
Bones give shape to my body.
Bones store up minerals to be used as my body needs them.
New blood cells are made inside my bones.
Bones protect my inner organs. The bones in my skull protect my brain.
The bones in my spine protect my spinal cord. The bones in my chest
protect my heart and lungs.
There is cartilage between most of my bones. Cartilage is softer than
bone. It keeps bones from rubbing against each other.
Bones fit together at places called joints. Some joints, such as those
in my skull, do not move. Other joints, like those in my legs, do move.
Only a few joints are named in the picture. I have other joints in my
jaws, shoulders, hips, wrists, ankles, fingers, and toes.
My bones work together in groups, and so I am able to move around.
In the pictures, some bones can be seen in the boy’s body that cannot be
seen in the girl’s. They can be seen in the boy because his body is
turned.
